I saw a youtube video that Aronra put up today referencing this board and I didn't know of it before that. I don't generally like labels like 'skeptic', 'rational', 'reason' etc, but that's just my personal preference.

I would imagine most people here are irreligious, or at bare minimum aren't creationists unless they are contrarians here to argue and not to have honest debate. One of the major things that bumped me out of my religious beliefs was the lying going on by my (and others') churches. I was also a global warming skeptic, again until I found out that most the so-called skeptics were simply lying (there are some who I believe to be honest). I take truthfulness as being important, and while I don't blame people for passing on untruths they believe are true, I can't stand the liars that cause others to spread misinformation and doubt.

I don't especially like interacting with people on empirical matters who make poorly thought out arguments and then defend them at all costs including personal integrity. My closely held beliefs about the world are not easily changed, but the banging of my head for long enough usually gets the job done. But like many people, I don't unlearn stuff overnight, so if I seem reluctant about changing my mind on some subject, understand that it is a normal response but if it's got enough evidence, I will eventually give in. Most strongly held personal beliefs aren't abandoned on conversations like this:

Did you know your strong personal beliefs are wrong on X, Y and Zed?Oh, I didn't think of that way, thanks for correcting me.

A conversation like this can happen if the person doesn't hold the belief strongly or doesn't affect their identity. So it might work in showing a person a better way of doing a math problem (unless they are already a mathematician), but it's not going to work on other issues where the person has tied their beliefs to their identity. Despite what many people say, most of us have beliefs like this (this is why I don't like the labels).

I also probably hold some contrarian views here, but I won't bring them up unless they are already being discussed.

I do try to be as respectful as possible on forums, YT comments, Usenet (back in the day anyway) and other internet sites.

I hope I can learn something while I am here and I really hope I can contribute to the forum.

The name is taken from an Edgar Rice Burroughs character called Tars Tarkus, but when I tried to register that name on google, it (and every other ERB character's name was already registered with no activity), that's why it's misspelled as Tarstarkusz. I really enjoyed Burroughs' books and have read every one of them with the exception of most of the Tarzan books (though I did read the original and the crossover book with Tarzan in Pellucidar). Even though I don't hold any supernatural beliefs, I don't mind magic and such in fiction under most circumstances. I read a lot, mostly fiction, politics and history. I have a special affection for post apocalyptic fiction and late 19th century and early 20th century fiction. The area of history I find most interesting is the WW2 era.

You'll find that a lot of regulars here are skeptics, if not atheists - the odd creationists do come here to argue against evolution, rather than in support of their particular version of creationism.

You'll see that people who are simply misinformed, but honest, will gradually change their position - those who are determined to hold on to their position regardless will just keep repeating their beliefs/talking points in stubborn denial of any evidence presented to them.

The Young Historian will be worth talking to with regard to your interest in WWII.

Kindest regards,

James

"The Word of God is the Creation we behold and it is in this Word, which no human invention can counterfeit or alter, that God speaketh universally to man."The Age Of Reason

I'm sure there'll be some engaging discussion on here. We currently have a few creationists roaming the boards and there's an excellent ongoing series about dinosaur fossils, might want to check out the blog posts.

I look forward to any and all AGW discussions

"Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed." ― Friedrich Nietzsche